New storm system heads for Marin

A Gulf of Alaska storm packing about a half-inch of rain was expected Tuesday night and may make for a wet commute Wednesday morning.

National Weather Service forecaster Diana Henderson said the latest system will be milder, but colder, than the series of Pacific storms that barreled through the region a week ago.

"By Thursday it should be out of here," she said of the system.

But more unsettled weather was expected to dampen shoppers next weekend, with showers expected Saturday that may linger for a time on Sunday.

County Public Works crews are at the ready, but the nature of the rains are not expected to cause major problems, said Jeri Stewart, department spokeswoman.

On Wednesday at 9:45 a.m. some of the year's highest tides — more than 7 feet — will hit Marin's shorelines. The "king tides" — what the most extreme winter tides are called — occur when the sun and moon's gravitational forces reinforce one another. But they are not expected to cause much if any flooding.

"By that time the rain will have mostly subsided," Stewart said. "The bigger issues might be slides."